What is an Affordance? Intro to Play Theory

Описание: Affordances video

An affordance is a term used in play theory to mean how many possibilities for play and object or environment present.

How can you play with a toy car?

You can roll it on the ground and pretend to drive, you could simulate a crash or a dramatic jump, you could roll it up the walls.

All of these different options are what we mean by “affordances” - it just means how many different ways can you play with an object – how many possibilities it has.

Or, for the formal definition an affordance is:

A possibility for action - perceived directly and unconsciously - formed by the relationship between a feature of the physical environment and the child

A toy car has a good amount of affordance but as it is shaped like a car it does suggest we should play with it like a car. It might not spark our imagination.

But what about a stick? Or some pots and pans and a spoon? These are less limited by ideas of how we “should” play with them and therefore have more affordances

The more affordances an object has the better it is for play – as it leaves the choice and imagination to the child to come with something entirely new

Think back to when you were a child and a time you were playing.

What immediately comes to mind?

Maybe you are playing outside with your friends, building a den with old sheets, or something else?

What were you playing with?

Maybe a toy car, maybe a stick? Some cardboard boxes? Or maybe all you needed was your friends

You might remember that the best things to play with weren’t new and expensive toys, but often just things that you found around the house that you used for play.

As the old saying goes, the best things in life are free

What will you play with today?

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